When choosing a water damage contractor, lack of information could hurt you. Many homeowners are experiencing water damage for the first time and do not even know what they don’t know. Wipe Out has put together a list of the top 10 things a homeowner should ask their potential water damage contractor.
| 1. | Are they a certified company through Institue of Inspection, Cleaning & Restoration Certification(IICRC)? |
| IICRC is a non-profit certifying body for the water damage and mold industry. In order to be IICRC Certified, the company will have to maintain their insurance, hire IICRC Certified Technicians and adhere to a code of ethics. | |
| 2. | What is the extent of the water damage? |
| A water damage contractor worth his salt can tell you what has and has not been damaged. Without this knowledge, then how will they be able to ensure your property is dry? They should also tell you if there are any special circumstances you need to be aware of, such as possible electrical issues. | |
| 3. | What was the cause of the damage and how will it be treated? |
| In order to ensure preventative measures are in place for futer water damage, you will need to know if the damage was due to poor maintenance or a natural occurance. | |
| 4. | How are they determining the type and quantity of equipment to place in your property? |
| If the contractor does not give you a calculation for the quantity of dehumidifers or is not able to tell you why and where the air movers will be, then they do not understand the science of drying. Leaving too much or too little equipment on a project can have a negative effect. | |
| 5. | How will they know if your property is dry? |
| A water damage contractor should be able to explain the equipment he will be using to test the moisture content of your property and how he determines when it is dry. | |
| 6. | What products will they be using in your property? |
| If a water damage contractor uses a solution without providing you with an MSDS, beware. Many water damage companies use solutions that can be hazardous to your health and require you to be out of the area for at least 30 minutes after application. It is your home. You have the option of not having these solutions used. | |
| 7. | What happens to your damaged contents? |
| Damaged contents should be dcumented and retained for your insurance adjuster to review prior to discarding. | |
| 8. | What kind of documentation will you receive once the project is complete? |
| This documentation should prove to you that the structure was dried properly. An invoice is not proper documentation in the water restoration industry. | |
| 9. | What is expected of you? |
| As a homeowner, you will want to be involved every step of the way. Helping your restoration company can go a long way in making your restoration faster and more effective. You can do this by moving your breakables and electronics, ensuring any valuables, such as jewelry, are removed from the area, helping choose which items should be disposed, or other such tasks. | |
| 10. | What can you expect from them? |
| Your water damage company should be able to give you a detailed description of what will be happening from start to finish and and estimated timeline. |
Remember, whichever water damage contractor you hire works for you, not the insurance company. Insurance companies may recommend a water damage contractor from their vendor list, but the choice of contractor is up to you, not the insurance company. As the homeowner, you want to know that the contractor you hire is working for you and knows what they are doing.
Categories: Press Releases , Water Damage
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